JEFFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (9-1) will look to keep the positive vibes rolling when it takes its first extended road trip of the season Saturday with a doubleheader at Erskine (3-3). The Eagles will play 10 consecutive games away from The Vick, including a Monday double dip at Kentucky Wesleyan (2-4).
The Eagles enter the weekend off of a doubleheader sweep of the Limestone Saints, which gave head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield her 1,000th career victory, making her the sixth Division II coach to reach the mark.
Carson-Newman's won three straight after beginning the year on a six-game win streak. The Eagles will meet Erskine for the 46th time in a series that dates back to 1995. Carson-Newman owns the all-time series 38-7. C-N beat the Flying Fleet 9-0 in a run-rule win at the Mid-South Classic last season.
Sara Kelley (Ooltewah, Tenn.) leads the Eagles offensively with 20 runs batted in – the top tally in the South Atlantic Conference. She has 15 hits this year, 11 of which have gone for extra bases. Kelli Hensley (Knoxville, Tenn.) is riding a 13-game hitting streak for the Eagles dating back to her freshman campaign.
Pitchers Sarah Howard (Georgetown, Ky.) and Kalyn Davis (Danville, Ky.) have powered the Eagles to back-to-back shutouts. Howard has back-to-back games where she has hurled a career high six strikeouts.
The Flying Fleet lost both games of a doubleheader with Wingate by a combined three runs. The Bulldogs are ranked 24th in the latest NFCA poll. The Flying Fleet's offense has struggled this year, with a team batting average of .200. However, starting pitcher Danica Newton has a 1.32 ERA and has struck out a batter an inning with 23 Ks through her three appearances.
Kentucky Wesleyan will play its home opener with the Eagles Monday. Carson-Newman is a perfect 13-0 all-time against the Panthers. The Eagles have shut them out in six meetings all-time.
The Panthers are an inverse of the Flying Fleet, with an order that boasts three players hitting .400 or better; however, KWC's pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.10 and a batting average against of .399.
First pitch with Erskine Saturday is slated for 1 p.m.
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